Who Will Run in the Seoul Gangseo-gu Mayor Election Two Months Ahead?

Former Gangseo District Mayor Kim Tae-woo of the People Power Party included in the Liberation Day pardon... Former Mayor Kim appears determined to run, stating "I will announce my position soon"

Competition among former Democratic Party city councilors Jang Sang-gi, Lee Chang-seop, Park Sang-gu, Gyeong Man-seon, former Deputy Mayor Moon Hong-seon, and former Sejong City Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs Kwon Oh-jung

Interest in the upcoming Seoul Gangseo District Mayor election, just two months away, is gradually increasing.

The election landscape is becoming more concrete as it has been reported that former Gangseo District Mayor Kim Tae-woo was included in the August 15 Liberation Day special pardon.

Former Mayor Kim was indicted on charges of leaking official secrets after exposing corruption allegations involving the Blue House's special inspection team under the Moon Jae-in administration, and was found guilty by the Supreme Court last May. Upon receiving the guilty verdict from the Supreme Court on May 18, he criticized via SNS, saying, "If Cho Kuk (former Minister of Justice) is guilty, then Kim Tae-woo is innocent," and added, "The truth cannot be hidden by a political trial. First, I apologize to the residents of Gangseo District for not being able to fully carry out the important duties entrusted to me as mayor due to the Supreme Court ruling. However, even if I temporarily step down from the mayoral position due to a political trial, the truth cannot be distorted."

He argued that he was sacrificed due to a distorted judgment against his whistleblowing.

With his inclusion in the Liberation Day special pardon, he has attracted attention by expressing through media interviews that he will announce his position soon.

Former Mayor Kim appears strongly determined to run again in this Gangseo District Mayor election to restore his honor.

Meanwhile, Kwon Young-se, a People Power Party lawmaker and former Minister of Unification, stated that regarding the Seoul Gangseo District Mayor by-election scheduled for October, if Kim Tae-woo, who caused the by-election, is the most competitive candidate, he could be nominated again.

On the evening of the 10th, Kwon appeared on CBS Radio's "Park Jae-hong's One-on-One Match," saying, "I don't think there is any reason for the party not to nominate a candidate for Gangseo District Mayor," and added, "Usually, candidates are not nominated when there is clear fault or responsibility, but in the case of former Mayor Kim, he is someone who has a lot to say," showing support for Kim Tae-woo.

Accordingly, unless there is an upset, the Gangseo District Mayor election is likely to be a contest between former People Power Party Mayor Kim Tae-woo and a Democratic Party candidate.

The Democratic Party has several candidates actively campaigning, including former city councilors Jang Sang-gi, Lee Chang-seop, Park Sang-gu, Gyeong Man-seon, and Kim Yong-yeon, all with strong local bases. Additionally, 11 prospective candidates have registered, including former Deputy Mayor Moon Hong-seon, a former administrative examination pass, and Kwon Oh-jung, former Sejong City Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs and former Yonsei University student council president, all striving to secure the final ticket.

The Democratic Party has postponed the verification committee, which is expected to narrow down the candidates to 3-4, to the 18th, drawing attention.

The Democratic Party is expected to field its own candidate while observing the pardon outcome for former Mayor Kim Tae-woo.

Among these candidates, former city councilors argue that candidates with a local base have a better chance of winning, while the party leadership, considering this election as a preliminary battle ahead of next year's general election, believes they cannot overlook electability, creating a clash of opinions that makes the final decision highly anticipated.

With just two months left until the Gangseo District Mayor election, no one knows what political variables might emerge, making the election results highly anticipated.

This Gangseo District Mayor election is undoubtedly a significant contest, with both ruling and opposition parties on high alert.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.